Did Ag2r Avoid Breaking Saunier Duval’s Losing Record?

Saturday, 19 May 2012

A double win yesterday for French squad Ag2r La Mondiale. First they won in the Circuit de Lorraine Professionel, a 2.1 stage race on France’s eastern borders thanks to Sébastien Hinault. Then Sylvain Georges doubled-up with a fine solo stage win in the Tour of California.

Until now they had yet to win a race this year and were a day away from “beating” the longest losing streak set by Saunier Duval who didn’t win a race until 19 May back in 2005. This time Ag2r won their two stages on 18 May, a day ahead. But 2012 is a leap year meaning the French squad might have won earlier in May but we’ve had an extra day in the year.

Comparing the worst record since the UCI formed the Pro Tour for 2005 is a bit of a thankless task. In some sports winning and losing streaks can matter to measure in form teams but in cycling the individual aspect of the sport is different. This is a such a quirky record that nobody really keeps tab of it. In other words whether Ag2r did or didn’t break this record doesn’t matter much but I’d been keeping tabs on which teams have been winning… and yet to win.

For the record the UCI Pro Team with the most wins is Omega Pharma – Quickstep with 28 wins, ahead of Team Sky (21) and Liquigas-Cannondale (19). So bravo to Ag2r for their double win. The challenge now is to catch up and if they land a win in the Tour de France the team’s sponsors and supporters will be overjoyed.

A magnificent day for the French team! If you didn’t see Sylvain Georges 184 km solo win yesterday in the ToC, you missed something remarkable. The peloton underestimated catching him…with 4km to go, the peloton was still 2:05 behind, and Sylvain was never caught. At high altitude this was a feat of sustained suffering over many kms of climbing, and this monumental triumph was felt by all, no doubt:) Georges legs were like rubber as he climbed the podium. Someone not named Sagan was on the top step this day, though Peter did put in another impressive sprint for 2nd at + :28, leaving Peter Velits in his rear-view mirror.

Seeing the two Slovakians on the podium reminded me how powerful a Czechoslovakian pro team would be on paper like a GreenEdge concept but turbocharged ! lets call it VelvetEdge..

Firstly you have the billionaire financier Znedek Bakala who funds the Quick Step team.
manager Jan Svorada
Hor categorie Sagan , Kreuziger, and Stybar
then class riders like the Velits brothers, Konig , Barta
time trialist Rabon
super domestique Adam Hansen **
then throw in a couple of Track endurance guys like Blaha and Hacecky”…”………i’m sure there are a few more i can’t remember but this is a start.
**** i know he is from Cairns but he is more Czech than Australian nowadays.

We were at the start of the Tour of California stage this morning, and, after we had scrambled around photographing everyone and everything and basically thought that the day couldn’t get any cooler, Sylvain Georges rides right on by on his way to the start. I recognized his glasses from the TV broadcast the night before and without thinking shouted out “Hey, there’s the winner!” Let me tell you, this guy turned around and gave the biggest smile. What a great victory and one I’m sure he’ll remember for his whole life.

I am now a big Sylvain Georges fan just because of his whole demeanor on the podium – from the way he walked up and was just glowing to be up there, to his “ow my back!” bit after lifting the obnoxiously large stage trophy, to the way he lit up when they told him the two hot chicks on the podium were going to kiss him….it was all tremendously disarming.